Jake Uzell

Jake David Uzell
27.01.06 - 29.01.06
2 days old





This page is dedicated to Jake Uzell who is the brave son of Stephen and Sharon Uzell.

Things were not going well as we had some scares in the pregnancy since week 6 but we had lots of
scans and to our amazement each time, Jake was fine, kicking away and looking very happy.

It wasn't until 10th Dec 2005 at 20 wks my waters broke suddenly. Of course as this was
happening we didn't realise my waters had gone, it just didn't enter our minds that this
could happen so early in the pregnancy.

I was admitted to hospital straight away and told to prepare for the worst as he wouldn't
survive outside at such an early stage. I was kept in hospital for 4 nights and each time I was
scanned the fluid levels around the baby were normal, we were amazed Jake was ok in there after all
the trauma. I was sent home to monitor my temp for signs of infection and complete bed rest. I
visited the hospital on a weekly basis and the baby and I were fine. Eventually at 24 wks I was
admitted again and given steroid injections to help mature Jake's lungs and anti-biotics to
prevent infection.

Everything was going well until I developed a high temp and was rushed up to theatre for an
emergency c-section. At 11:40pm on Fri 27th Jan 2006 Jake David Uzell was born at 26wks+5days
weighing 1.1kg or 2lb 7oz. He was given straight to the pediatric team who were on stand by and was
stablised and brought to the neonatal unit. I only got to see him briefly through the incubator as
he passed me by. The doctors were finishing the operation on me and my husband was by my side all
the time.

My husband and I were brought to the recovery area as I had to be monitored for a while. Eventually
we were brought back to the ward for a sleep, we were told that Jake was very sick and might not
make it through the night. We were told to get some sleep and if anything happened they would call
for us straight away. My husband got to see Jake and take a couple of pictures with the hospitals
camera.

At 7am we were called for as the doctors didn't think he had long because he was so sick. They
asked us to call any family members we wanted to see him before he died. Obviously confused, upset,
weak we called our family and they came up to see Jake. We called for a priest to christen him as
we felt this was the right thing to do.

The next day flew by and is still a blur to be honest. I was still being wheel-chaired up and down
to see Jake and finally on Sunday 29th we were given the bad news. We were told that Jake had a
massive bleed on the brain due to the stress of the prematurity and the infection which was taking
over his little body and that he had no chance of surviving at all.

Finally the nurses turned off all the machines and we got to hold our little boy for the first time.
We were moved to a small room in the hospital where we got to say our goodbyes before he passed
away 40 mins later peacefully in our arms.

We buried Jake a week later in the Holy Angels Plot in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. It was a tough
week for us, a tough few months to be honest but we are so proud that we had Jake and so thankful
that we got to see and hold him. He is our brave boy and always will be.

We love you Jake, you are always in our thoughts
Love Mammy and Daddy xxx